sweet
by myPEACEFULsanctuary
Summary: She glanced at the clock. 11.34pm. He would be home soon. cloti au


She always stayed up to see. Tifa had finished cleaning the glasses and tables and was now lingering in the bar. The dimly lit bar was empty and she had locked away the alcoholic drinks. It had been a nightmare trying to get Marlene and Denzel to bed. The both of them had been so hyper and as high as kites on sugar. She had seen them munching on chocolates and other goodies earlier in the day but hadn't realised the magnitude of confectionery they had possessed. She glanced at the clock. 11.34pm. He would be home soon.

And sure enough, the distance sound of a motorbike was becoming clearer. It came to a stop outside the bar and Tifa could hear Cloud getting off the bike and entering the bar. He turned round and saw her standing there. Tifa smiled and said,

"Hi, Cloud,"

"Hey, you're still up?" he asked her. Tifa nodded and lifted the cloth in her hand a little higher,

"I was just finishing cleaning up," Cloud nodded and looked away, unsure of what to say, the paper bags he was holding rustled in his hands. Tifa put the cloth back under the bar and as she left the room she said,

"Goodnight Cloud," and went up the stairs. A few moments later Cloud followed the brunette up the stairs and outside her door he quietly said,

"Goodnight Tifa," before going to his own room.

_______________________________

"Come on, Marlene! It's time for bed! You too Denzel," Tifa said as she tried to catch hold of them. However the overexcited children just laughed and ran just a little farther out of her reach. Tifa sighed and put her arm on her whist. Tomorrow she was going to find who gave them an overkill number of sweets and make them regret it. Probably Yuffie.

"Marlene! Denzel! Bed now!" she called again only to hear the muffed giggles of two children hiding.

-

-

-

Cloud left the shop and got onto the motorbike. It had taken a lot persuading to convince the shopkeeper that the shop was still open even though it was after 11pm. Still, Cloud had what he wanted and he was happy enough. As he travelled back he thought about his family, Marlene, Denzel and Tifa. But it wasn't quite a fair ratio of thoughts shared to each member of his family. He stopped off a garage and went in there and bought some more stuff before going home.

He slowed down as he got to 7th Heaven and parked the bike in the back of the garden before entering the bar. All the lights were still on which was unusual. Cloud glanced round the bar and saw Tifa. She was sitting on one of the bar stools, her head and arms resting on the bar fast asleep. Cloud quietly put his bags down and sat down beside her. He watched her for a few seconds before hesitantly reaching up and gently pulling her hair out of her eyes.

"Tifa," he said slowly to the sleeping girl, "I..." he paused unsure what to say. Mentally though, he was abusing himself in all sorts of way to be too scared to talk to her when she was sleeping.

"Thank you... for being there. I just... I..." he dilly-dallied again, "Tifa, I... love you," Well, that least it was a practice.

He gazed at her for a little long before standing up and picking her up. She mumbled a bit and Cloud froze, afraid that he had woke her up. But she snuggled in to Cloud and he relaxed. As he left the room he picked up of the one bags.

____________________________________

The sun was shining in her eyes. She turned away and looked at the clock. 8 Am. She sat up and saw she was still in her clothes. She sat there a few second figuring out what must have happen. She must fallen asleep after eventually getting Denzel and Marlene to bed then Cloud must have carried her to bed. She turned to get out of bed when she saw a little box on her bedside table. She picked it up and looked at it closely. She didn't remember seeing it before. She put it down and changed her clothes and picked it up again before going down the stairs.

And then she saw it.

Cloud was giving Marlene and Denzel sweets.

It was his fault.

She glanced at the box. She sat down on the stairs and opened the box. Inside was a necklace, matching her ring. She smiled and continued down the stairs.

"Morning Cloud," she said brightly. Cloud looked up from hanging out even more sweets and replied,

"Hi," he gazed wandered over to the box. Marlene watched his gazed and went over to Tifa to see what he was looking at.

"So pretty!" she cried out, "Cloud, did you get this for Tifa?" His eyes shot down to the ground,

"Yeah,"

"Cloud, could you help me put this on?" Tifa asked nervously. Cloud nodded and walked over to her. As he was fastening the click Tifa asked,

"Cloud, could you come home early tonight? I think Marlene and Denzel would like it if you put them to bed today,"

_______________________________________

"Hey Cloud? Wake up!" Zack loudly said, waving his hand in Cloud face. Cloud blinked and flinched away. He had no idea that two miniature children could have had so much energy. Zack sighed and continued speaking,

"You know Cloud; it's about time you asked her out. Actually, why haven't you already?"

"I just..." Cloud trailed off, avoiding looking at Zack. The dark haired man shook his head and said,

"Come on Cloud. Look, everyone knows you have a thing for Tifa. Equally everyone knows that Tifa also likes you back. So what's the big deal?"

"But I..."

"Excuses, Cloud. Hey, aren't you my living legacy?"

"I thought that I stopped being it when you came back to life," Cloud pointed out. Zack ignored him.

"Well, if you really _are_ my living legacy, then you could ask her out no problem. Hey, I could ask her out myself, just to show how easy it is,"

"Don't." Cloud said firmly, glaring at Zack who shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, if you don't ask her out in the next ten minutes, then I will and then take her on a date to Honey Bee Inn,"

"..."

"Okay, maybe not Honey Bee Inn but I will go on a date with her if you don't,"

"What about Aeris?"

"I'm hoping that you're gonna ask Tifa out so we don't get to that part,"

Cloud went into the bar, followed closely by Zack. The bar was quiet since it was 3pm. Only Tifa, Aeris, Yuffie and Shelke were here. Yuffie was annoying Shelke for having a phone the size of a brick. Tifa stood behind the bar; hand on her hip talking to Aeris. Cloud considered leaving right there and then, not wanting to ask in front of Aeris, if Zack wasn't so close behind him. So he walked over to the bar and stood there, pretending to listen to their conversation. Tifa smiled at Cloud when he had came in but didn't say anything.

"Hey, Tifa,"

Damn Zack.

Cloud shot Zack a glare that would have cut off all the electricity in Edge if it had been aimed at an electricity generator. But Zack is made of more than electricity generators are and just look back at Cloud. Of course not as aggressively but more of a 'what?'. Cloud took the hint, took a deep breath and said,

"Em, Tifa, do you wanna go to the Golden Saucer with me?" he waited. She seemed surprised and the silence lasted so long. Even Yuffie had stopped talking. Mentally cursing Zack in his head he prepared to be turned down when she smiled (and it was such a nice smile) said,

"Sure, when?" Before he could answer Aeris spoke and said,

"Go tonight, me and Zack will look after the kids,"

This was when Cloud realised that Zack and Aeris had been plotting against him. However Cloud now knew a little way to pay back, with a little help from Marlene and Denzel.

____________________________________

The Gondola hadn't changed. The fireworks shot into the sky and explode at the same time too. Not that Cloud knew that. He was too busy trying to sort out the jumble in his head into words, then in to sentence then saying them to Tifa.

"Em, Tifa," Why did he start talking? He hadn't finished arranging what he had wanted to say.

"Yes, Cloud?"

"I... I just. Tifa. I love you,"

Well he had gone and said it now.

"Cloud..."

Damn, damn, damn.

"I love you too,"


End file.
